Surfacing plate



, l--d V. G. HECHT 2,135,815

SURFAGING PLATE Filed Feb. 26. 1954 QubduuVuQUQJ/UQ ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SURFACING PLATE Vernon G. Hecht, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to The Meyer-Hecht Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a, corporation of Ohio Application February 26, 1934, Serial No. 712,981

9 Claims. (Cl. 94-11) Surfacing plates ordinarily are laid in a semi- It is thus my object to provide a metal floor plastic bedding material, which subsequently or surfacing plate which may be made and inhardens, and the plates being laid adjoining each stalled as inexpensively as other forms of surfacother, form a wear surface for withstanding heavy ing plates, but which will be stronger, more eleoloads. It is the object of my invention in a floor tively bonded to the bedding material, and will 5 plate to provide a metallic plate preferably cast protect the bedding material against the action from iron, and whichhas the under surface so of corrosive substances appearing on the floor, formed that the seepage of water to the under and will provide a durable floor surface suitable surface of the plate will be prevented. for use under heavy trucking and foot traiiic.

l0 Ordinarily plates for heavy duty hauling work Ihe above objects and other objects to which 10 are flat both on their upper and lower surfaces, reference will be made in the ensuing disclosure, and while, for a time, they are satisfactory, re- I accomplish by that certain combination and arpeated usage and hard wear causes the plates rangement of parts of which I have shown sevto become displaced. Water or other corrosive eral preferred embodiments.

'15 liquid seeps in around the edges of the plates and Referring to the drawings: l5 causes deterioration of the material in which the Figure 1 is a plan View of a preferred type of plate is bedded, and for this reason the plates plate. likewise become displaced. Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the lines My invention relates to metal floor or surfac- 2--2 in Figure 1.

ing plates which are laid in a plastic bedding ma- Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the plate 20 terial that subsequently hardens, anchoring the shown in Figures 1 and 2. plates firmly in position. On the under surface Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional View of one of of the metal floor or surfacing plates, projecting the edges of a modified type of plat-e. continuous fins of dovetail section are placed, Figure 5 shows a .plate having a slightly differwhich provide the medium for effecting the bond ent type of bonding n from that shown in Figbetween the plate and the bedding material. The ures 1 to 3.

metal floor or surfacing plates are laid with their Figure 6 is a sectional view of one of the edges top surfaces adjoining each other, forming an of a plate with an air hole in the iin. unbroken surface that will resist wear and pre- The plan View of the plate is shown to be vent the passage of corrosive substances through square. The plate could, however, be rectangular 30 and between the plates to the bedding material. or even hexagonal in plan. The hexagonal shape It is another object of my invention to provide would probably be the ideal shape, but would be continuous fins of dovetail section on the under more diflicult to lay. However, I do not wish to side of the plates and parallel to the perimeter of limit myself to any specific outline of the shape the plates, in order to seal and protect the bedof the plate. 35 ding material from contact with corrosive sub- The plate which is broadly indicated at l, has stances. a series of shallow depressions or grooves 2 on It is still another object of my invention to conits upper surface which form an anti-skid surface struct the continuous n in such a manner that which will provide a proper tractive surface for i0 it will act as the means for anchoring the plate foottrafc. Variations of this anti-skid surface 40 to the bedding material, and prevent its displacemay be desirable, according to users demands. ment or loosening under the action of the forces spaced slightly from the edges of the plate on its Of the tram@ 011 th? Platesunderneath surface, I have .shown fins or ribs 3 'A Still furfhef (Jb-lect 0f my mventiol@ is t0 Pm having the inner sides 5 sloping, which form a se- 4" de a Contlnuous fm on the uner 51de of @he cure bond with the semi-plastic material of the plate, parallel to and near the perimeter, to rein- .bed on which the plates are laid force the plate at its edges, where the impact of In the drawing Figures 4 an 5 I have Shown movmg loads would sublect the plate to the at 3a, 3b a detailed section of one of the edges greatest strain.

Another object of my invention is to provide of a' floor plate hal/mg the fins Pf Curved Shape- 50 a durable metallic surface for the parte in the S0 that When the Plaie 1S 12nd 1t Will not form form 0f an antpgkid Surface which Shall be an air pockets underneath, located in spaced position aid to foot traic, and will also withstand the I'Om the Sid-e edges 0f the plate, I have indicated impact, hammer and Wear caused by heavy movair vents 6 which permit the escape of confined ing loads. air when bedding the plate. Figure 6 shows a 55 vsive liquids underneath the plates. openings, which prevent the formation of air `plastic bed material which later hardens.

modification with the air holes 6 in the n 3 instead of in the plate itself. y

To assist in the reinforcing and strengthening of the plate, I have also provided cross ribs 'l extending across the plate from the middle of the edge ns. These ribs 1 are not as deep as the ribs adjacent the side edgesrof the plate, but they materially increase the bond between the plate and the plastic bed on which the plate is laid. They divide the area of the bottom surface into smaller areas, thus reducing the danger of an air pocket forming under the entire area within the fins.

In laying a floor composed of plates made in accordance with my invention, the plastic, usually cement or asphaltic composition bed, is first laid, and the plates are then arranged end to end and side to side with the fins 3 countersunk in the bed material, but with the level of the plastic bed extending up within the ns against the under-surface of the plate. The fact that the inner walls of the fins slope inwardly, as indicated at 5, provides a dovetail interlock with the bed material. If it were not for the air vents 6, which, as indicated, may be conveniently extended through the plate at the bottoms of selected indentations 2, or in the ns themselves, as indicated at 6 in Figure 6, air pockets might be formed which would prevent a perfect bond of the under surface of the plates and the bed material.

One great diiiculty with the existing installations of metallic floor plates is that moisture and corrosive liquids seep down around the edges of the plates and corrode the bedding material under the plate. The continuous fins which I provide effectively prevent any seepage which -will cause corrosion of the bedding material.

The fins are so positioned relative to the edges of the plates that there is a small space between the fins when the plates are laid adjoiningly, and

the bed material flows up into this space and increases the anchorage vof the fins in the bed Inaterial.

Floors laid with plates made in accordance with my invention may be subjected to very heavy loads being trucked over them. Due tothe perfect bond which is obtainable, these plates will not rock on their bed, and are better adapted to vwithstandthe hammering actionY of moving loads.

The continuous ns prevent seepage of corro- 'Ihe airY vent pockets during laying, will generally be sealed up by the'plastic bed materialfiowing up into them, but may be sealed up mechanically or by solid matter which collects from the traffic on the floor. The fins are arranged on the plates so as to both increase the bond of the plate with the bed, prevent seepage under the plate, and also to materially strengthen the plates resistance to crushing and loosening strains from moving loads. The cross ribs 'l further aid materially in reinforcing the plate.

It will thus be observed that my invention embodies a floor or surfacing plate made in units Which. are laid adjoining each other forming an unbroken exposed surface, and embedded in a The continuous ns or ribs near the edges bond the plate to the bedding. material and confine and protect the bedding material from possible contact with corrosive substances to which the upper surface of the plates may be exposed. The

plates may be used in constructing a new floor, and may also be used as a resurfacing material for existing floors.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isz- 1. A surfacing plate having a continuous bonding rib of uniform depth formed on its under surface, said rib extending parallel with the edges of the plate with a narrow space between the rib and the plate edges whereby, when a plurality of plates are laid on a semi-plastic bed, the bed material will flow into the narrow spaces between the ribs of abutting plates and increase the bonding anchorage of the plate edges in the bed.

2. A surfacing plate having a continuous bonding rib of uniform depth formed on its under surface, said rib extending parallel with the edges of the plate, to form a closed figure with a narrow space between the ribs and the plate edges whereby, when a plurality of plates are laid on a semi-plastic bed, the bed material Will flow into the narrow spaces between the rib of abutting plates and increase the bonding anchorage of the plate edges in the bed, and said plate having air vents extending therethrough in that area of the plate outlined by the bonding rib.

3. A surfacing plate having continuous bondingV ribs of uniform depth formed on its under surface, said ribs Vextending parallel with the edges of the plate with a narrow space between the ribs and the plate edges whereby, when a plurality of plates are laid on a semi-plastic bed, the bed material will flow into the narrow spaces between the ribs ofr abutting plates and increase the bonding anchorage of the plate edges in the bed, said ribs having a depth sumcient to prevent seepage of corrosive liquids to the under surface of the plate.

' 4. A substantially square metallic surfacing vplate having a continuous rib of uniform depth extending down from the under surface of the plate, said rib being arranged parallel to the edges of the plate and spaced therefrom to form a closedY figure, and having the inner walls sloping inwardly andhaving air venting perforations extending through the confining material into the closed figure.

5. A surfacing plate having a continuous bonding rib of uniform depth formed on its under surface, said rib extending parallel with the edges of the plate with.A a narrow space between the rib and the plate edges to form a closed ngure whereby, when the plate is laid ona semiplastic bed, the bed material will flow complete- 'ly around the rib and increase the bonding anchorage of the plate edges in the bed, and air vents extending through said rib.

6. Afloor or surfacing plate having an upper surface arranged to 'withstand heavy wear aml having a downwardlyprojecting fin of substantially uniform depth extending from the underplate and spaced inwardly a slight distance therefrom, Vso that when said plates are embedof substantially uniform depth forming a closed t figure and air vents extending through the conning material into said closed figure, the sides of said closed gure paralleling the edges of the plate and slightly spaced therefrom, so that when said plates are embedded in a plastic, said plastic will rise between the juxtaposed ns of adjacent and abutting plates for the purpose described.

8. A substantially square metallic surfacing plate having continuous ribs of uniform depth extending downwardly from the under surface thereof, said ribs being parallel with the four edges of the plate and slightly spaced therefrom, and having their inner sides sloping inwardly.

9. A surfacing plate having a continuous bonding rib of uniform depth formed on its under surface, said rib extending parallel with the edges of the plate to form a closed figure with a narrow space between the rib and the plate edges, whereby, when a plurality of plates are laid in a semi-plastic bed, the bed material will flow into the spaces between the ribs of abutting plates and prevent a seepage pocket forming between the plates, .and said plate having air vents extending therethrough in that area of the plate outlined by the bonding rib.

VERNON G. HECHT. 

